'Antar wa Abla' in Abu Dhabi: Lebanese opera makes its way to the international stage

The challenge, long considered impossible, that Antar wa Abla has taken up was to produce opera in Arabic as more than just a symbolic gesture. It is precisely here that the work of Nadim Tarabay, a 28-year-old Lebanese composer, comes to the fore. His rewriting, orchestration and dramaturgical overhaul of the work mark a decisive turning point in the operatic history of the Arab world.The project originated from a collective ambition: to promote a genuine Arab cultural industry by establishing Lebanon as a natural center for creation. From the outset, Maroun al-Rahi laid the intellectual and philosophical foundations, envisioning an opera sung in Arabic, staying true to the language's musicality while engaging with Western codes of the art form.An initial stage version premiered in 2016: still experimental, close to musical theater,...